Machine for reclaiming yarn from knitted fabric



Nov. 17,1936. GASTRlCH 2,061,232

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Filed Feb. 12, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 1:1 [2- l ii 7 56 7 5 1 I mun fi uuumm W?" k lllllllllllllll v INVENTORZ G'usiazrfiasfi'ick,

Nov. 17, 1936. GASTRlcH 2,061,232

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Filed Feb. 12, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 F .1 c3- E.

IN V EN TOR.

#usiiwfiasfrick,

BY 5 ATTORNE Nov. 17, 1936. G GASTHCH 2,061,232

IN V EN TOR.

Nov. 17, 1936. G g s c 2,061,232

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Filed Feb. 12, 1954 9 Sheejzs-Sheet 4 FIG -5 Nov. 1 7, 1936.

' e. GASTRICH 9 Sheets-sheaf, 5

Filed Feb. 12 1934 J Ill Q m R mm mm, g. an E Q m m T. \S I I m M M X w E M 06 Q Q s M w m H w. m u R .c. LI m I! 4 W I ll/ m g W l I I .Q H u a MM Na w m N Q &. Q N w w \VQ A Nov. 17, 1936. G. GASTRICH 2,061,232

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Filed Feb. 12, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Z/ a N r 4 IN V EN TOR:

ATTORNZZ.

Nov. 17, 1936. R H 2,061,232

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Filed Feb. 12, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 IN V EN TOR.

. ATTORNE.

Nov. 17, 1936. sT H 2,061,232

MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Filed Feb. 12, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 "INVENTORI gusfav Gznsin'ak,

ATTORNE Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNHTE STATES PATENT GFFICE MACHINE FOR RECLAIMING YARN FROM KNITTED FABRIC Application February 12, 1934, Serial No. 710,905

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine for reclaiming yarn from imperfect knitted fabric, and particularly to a machine for reclaiming the yarns from a multi-yarn knitted fabric.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel machine adapted to reclaim the yarns from a multi-yarn knitted fabric in which various courses of the fabric are respectively knit from separate yarns recurrent throughout the fabric. or in which various courses each are knit from a plurality of yarns, the machine having a plurality of yarn take-up devices, for example, reels, bobbins or spools, each individual to one of said yarns, and automatically operative for intermittently actuating, or rotating, said take-up devices or reels in such manner that the yarns are successively unravelled as they are reached during the reclaiming operation, the yarns being unravelled in inverse order to that in which they were laid in the successive courses of the fabric during the knitting thereof; and preferably, although not necessarily, the respective yarns are taken off in separate planes extending from the ravelling end of the fabric and coursewise of the fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the aforesaid character having a plurality of yarn take-up reels or other devices each individual to one of the yarns for unravelling and rewinding the same, the machine having driving mechanism for actuating, or rotating, said takeup devices and means controlled by the respective yarns for preventing actuation or rotation by the driving mechanism of all the take-up devices except the device or devices, as the case may be, taking up the yarn or yarns paying out from the fabric course or courses at the time being unravelled, said means being automatically operable, when any of said yarns has been unravelled to a point in the fabric, for example, at a selvedge edge thereof, or at the line of meeting of different yarn areas of the fabric, where the yarn is held by another yarn, for temporarily preventing actuation by the driving mechanism of its takeup device and simultaneously causing the driving mechanism to actuate the take-up device individual to the next yarn to be unravelled; more particularly, sufficient tension is maintained on each yarn at the time being unravelled to insure proper paying out and rewinding thereof and to prevent kinking or entanglement thereof, and suitable tension is maintained on each yarn, when held by another yarn, to insure positive release of the yarn for unravelling when the next fabric course composed of such yarn is reached, without causing undue stretching or breakage of the yarn.

Another object of the invention relates to a machine for reclaiming the various yarns from an imperfect multi-yarn fiat knitted stocking blank in which the various courses of the blank are knit from a plurality of separate yarns alternating throughout the blank, or in which various of the courses of the blank are each composed of a plurality of yarns, and automatically operative for 0 taking up and rewinding the yarns of the various courses in the order in which the yarns are reached from the ravelling end of the stocking blank.

A further object of the invention is to provide 15 a machine on which a relatively large number of imperfect stocking blanks or other fabric pieces, each of which has various courses thereof composed of separate yarns recurrent therein, may automatically and simultaneously be unravelled 0 without interference with each other, the respective yarn take-up devices being compactly arranged in a manner to reduce the floor space required for the machine, and also to reduce the distance which the operator has to walk in at- 25 tending the machine, whereby one operator is able to handle a large number of pieces and thereby reduce the labor item so that the cost of reclaiming the yarn will be considerably less than the value of the reclaimed yarn and thus 30 effect an appreciable saving in manufacturing costs of stockings and other knitted articles.

Specifically, and in accordance with one form of the invention, the take-up reels are maintained at all times out of engagement with their driving means except the reel or reels taking up the yarn from the course or courses at the time being unravelled, the respective take-up reels being automatically and successively returned to a position of engagement with the driving means when courses of their respective yarns are reached during unravelling of the fabric.

Specifically, and in accordance with another form of the invention, the take-up reels have friction driven members which remain in engagement with their driving means, the coacting driving surfaces having a coefiicient of friction therebetween such that when the yarns are held and prevented from paying out, there will be slippage between the driving and driven members sufiicient to prevent rotation of the reels at these times, the driving surfaces being adapted, however, to maintain a positive driving connection and exert sufficient tension on the yarn at the time being unravelled to insure positive release 65 of each yarn held by another yarn of the fabric for unravelling the yarn when the next course of such yarn is reached in the reclaiming operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the novel elements of construction, mechanisms and combination of parts in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a yarn reclaiming machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with certain duplicate parts thereof omitted more clearly to show the construction of other parts of the machines;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, looking in the direction of the arrows 33 of Fig. 2, showing details of one of the cam members employed for reciprocating certain traversing yarn guide members;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of various parts of the machine, taken along the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing the relative positions of the take-up reels in one operative position thereof;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, similar to Fig. 5, with certain parts broken away more clearly to show the construction and operation of other parts of the machine;

Fig. '7 is a detail view of certain parts, taken substantially along the line l! of Fig. 6

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation, similar to Fig. 5, showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 10 illustrates one method of knitting a fabric composed of a plurality of yarns recurrent in succeeding courses of the fabric, and shows the interlocking relation of the separate yarns in adjacent courses, particularly at the selvedge edges of the fabric;

Fig. 11 diagrammatically illustrates the movements of the respective yarn carriers in knitting the fabric of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 diagrammatically illustrates the movements of yarn carriers in knitting another type of fabric composed of a plurality of interlocking yarns;

Figs. 13 to 18 diagrammatically illustrate the method and order in which the successive courses of the fabric of Fig. 10 are unravelled by the mechanism of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8;

Fig. 19 diagrammatically illustrates the manner of unravelling the various yarns of split-seam insert fabrics; and.

Fig. 20 diagrammatically illustrates the manner of unravelling the various yarns of reinforced and plated fabrics.

In the production of silk hosiery, particularly ladies stockings, the variation in evenness of natural silk yarn frequently causes coursewise extending rings or bands to appear in the stocking which differ in shading and appearance from the body of the stocking, these effects being especially noticeable when the stocking is stretched on the leg of the wearer. In order. to obviate this undesirable effect, stockings are now knit from two or more, usually three, separate yarns alternately employed in succeeding courses throughout the stocking length, so that the variation in evenness in any particular length of one of the yarns is compensated for and its effect minimized by the adjacent yarn or yarns, thereby to cause the over-all effect to be free from rings or bands. Since each of the respective yarns of the adjoining courses of such stockings are interengaged and held at the selvedge edges of the stocking blank by the yarn of a preceding course of the fabric, it is extremely difficult, by methods heretofore employed, to unravel the various yarns and thus reclaim the yarn from imperfect stocking blanks. In this country where wages are relatively high, the labor item was found to be such as to render it unprofitable to attempt to reclaim the yarn, and various manufacturers found it necessary to ship imperfect stocking blanks to Japan, where wages are extremely low, and have the yarn reclaimed in that country. The machine disclosed and claimed herein is particularly adapted to profitably reclaim the yarn from these stocking blanks, since the machine is automaticin action, can simultaneously unravel several dozen blanks, and requires but little attention on the part of the operator other than to supply blanks from which the yarns are to be reclaimed.

Also, in the production of various other multiyarn fabrics, particularly silk stocking fabrics, split-seam inserts are frequently employed for various purposes, as for ornamentation, the various courses of the insert or inserts being connected with the courses of the adjoining body sections of the fabric either by open-split or closed-split seams. Heretofore, it has been particularly difficult, if not impossible, to reclaim the various yarns from split-seam fabrics, it usually having been found less expensive to throw away the imperfect fabric pieces instead of attempting to reclaim the various yarns.

Other types of multi-yarn fabrics in which it has heretofore been found impractical to attempt to reclaim the yarns therefrom, are reinforced and plated fabrics, and because of the difficulty of reclaiming the various yarns of plated and reinforced stocking blanks, it has been the practice to cut off the reinforced or plated areas of the blanks, for example, in the heel tabs of the stockings, and reclaim only the yarn from the non-reinforced portions of the blanks. V

The examples of multi-yarn fabrics to which the invention is applicable could be multiplied, but it is deemed sufficient to state that heretofore no machine or device has been produced capable of reclaiming the various yarns of multiyarn knitted fabrics in a satisfactory or practical manner, and, in fact, imperfect multi-yarn knitted fabrics are usually regarded as waste and generally no attempt is made to reclaim the various yarns because of the difficulties involved. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, which illustrate the end sections of the machine, there are shown end frames ID and II rigidly secured together by transverse spacing bars l2, I2, l3, I3, [4, l4, and l5, l5. Preferably, and as indicated, the machine comprises a large number of similar groups of sections A to F of fabric takeup devices, for example, twenty-four to thirty six sections, the sections intermediate the end sections being omitted in the drawings, but present in the broken away portions of the machine, these sections being supported by center frames, ot shown. Each section or group A t F has three take-up devices Ia, 2a, 3a--I,f, 2f, 37'' individual thereto, these devices preferably comprising rotatable take-up reels or bobbins, for unravelling and rewinding the yarns of the stocking blanks F, F F etc. Each of the groups or sections A to F is adapted to reclaim the yarn from a piece of fabric or stocking blank, F, F F etc., to be unravelled, and each of the take-up devices la, 20., 3:1, etc., is individual to one of the separate yarns I, 2, 3, of which the stocking blanks are each composed. In order to operatively associate the take-up devices as closely as possible with the stocking blanks, the take-up devices of each group are shown arranged in tandem and respectively positioned beneath the blanks to be unravelled. This arrangement not only conserves floor space, but results in more efiicient operation of the machine since one operator can take care of a large number of stocking blanks because of the compact arrangement of the takeoff devices which materially reduces the distance the operator has to walk when replacing the various pieces of fabric and take-up reels on the machine during the reclaiming operation.

Driving means are provided for rotating the take-up reels in a direction to unravel and rewind the yarns, and preferably comprise an electric motor I6 mounted on a bracket I'I secured to the end frame I I), the motor being connected by suitable means, such as a belt I8 connected with stepped pulleys I9 and 20, to a shaft 22 and gears '23, 24, for driving two transversely extending shafts 25, 25 rotatably mounted in bearings 25 in the framework of the machine. Pinions 28 carried by the transversely extending shafts 25 intermesh with pinions 29 and 3!, and gears 33 and 32, for driving other transversely extending shafts 33, 34 which are also rotatably mounted in bearings in the machine framework. The shafts 25, 33, and 34 have secured thereto and rotatable therewith drive members, such as friction drive wheels 35, having their peripheral surfaces adjacent driven wheels 35 secured to spindles 31 rotatably carried by brackets 38, 39, 45 secured to the machine framework. On these spindles 31 are mounted the take-up reels Ia, 2a, 3a etc., which are intermittently rotated to rewind the separate yarns in a manner hereinafter described.

In order to cause the yarns to be wound in uniform layers on the take-up reels, the transversely extending shafts 25 carry pinions M which intermesh with pinions 42 rotatably mounted in end frame I I, the pinions 32 having teeth 43 which intermesh with driving gears 44 secured to stub shafts 45 rotatably mounted on end frame II. Secured to each shaft 45 is a circular cam 45 having a laterally varying cam track 46a against which bears a cam follower 41, Fig. 3, the cam follower being carried by the upper end of a rockable lever 48 which is pivotally mounted at 49 to a bracket 50 secured to the end frame. The two levers 48, 48 are operatively connected by a transversely extending bar 52, at the center of which is connected a spring 53 anchored at one end to the frame II, the spring biasing the cam followers 47 against the camming surfaces 46a of the circular cams, whereby rotation of said cams effects rocking motion of the levers 68 in unison.

Rotatably mounted in the outer ends of certain of the brackets 38 to 40, which at suitable intervals extend beneath the bar 55 to support the same, are rollers 55 upon which a longitudinally extending roller bar 55 may be reciprocated. Two of these bars 55 are provided, one at each side of the machine, and each bar is connected at one end to one of the rocking levers 48, the bars 55 being reciprocable on rollers 54 and laterally guided by and between opposed faces 56: of a groove 56 (Figs. 5 and 6) in those brackets in which the rollers 54 are mounted. Each of the bars 55 is provided with thread guides 5'! in groups of three, each group being adapted to traverse the face of an associated group A, B, C, etc., of the take-up reels or spools I, 2, 3 between the ends thereof to lay the thread in superposed convolute layers on the spools during their rotation, at which time the bars 55 are reciprocated longitudinally by the action of the cams 46.

The fabrics F, F F etc., to be unravelled may be supported in any suitable manner; in the specific form shown, a plurality of transversely extending cross bars or rods 59, 60 in spaced relation relative to each other are positioned above the various take-up reels by vertically extending curved uprights 6|, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, which may be supported in any suitable manner from the framework of the machine, as by clamping the lower ends thereof to the transversely extending rods l4, I5, Fig. 5. Connected to each of the rods 59, 60 by means of clamps 58 is a series of hook bars 62, 63, 64, etc., each hook bar being provided with hooks to which the pieces of fabric may be attached, each piece of fabric being held in such manner that the lower end thereof is free, thereby to facilitate unravelling of the fabric. The ravelling of the fabric progresses coursewise of the fabric, the various yarns I, 2, 3 of which the succeeding courses of the fabric are composed being guided from the lower end of the fabric downwardly through thread guides 66 respectively associated with and carried by the free ends of groups of tension arms 61, 68, 69, the opposite ends of the arms being pivotally mounted at 10 to brackets II clamped to the rods I4 and I5 of the machine framework.

Adjacent the outer ends of the tension arms 61 to 69, and mounted in place by indentations formed in the arms, are depending members I2 adapted to hold one or more readily removable weights W, by means of which the tension normally present on the yarns I, 2, 3 may accurately be adjusted. After passing through the thread guides 66, the yarns I, 2, 3 pass through their associated thread guides 5'! of the traversing bar 55, and thence to the take-up reels Ia, 2a, and 3a respectively. In order to permit lateral movement of the various yarns with respect to the yarn guides 66, and thereby prevent added tension being placed on the yarns by reason of the motion of the traversing bar 55, each yarn guide 66 is of the elongated open type, more clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The machine will first be described with reference to reclaiming the yarns from fabrics, such as ringless stocking blanks, or striped stocking blanks, in which the successive courses of the fabric are knit from separate yarns alternating in determined order throughout the fabric, or throughout certain areas thereof.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the takeup reels Ia, 2a, 3a, etc., each comprise a bobbin or spool on which the reclaimed yarn is wound, the spool having a flange I4 at each end thereof, the thread being wound on the bobbin or spool intermediate the ends thereof. In the form shown, each bobbin is provided witha spindle 37 projecting from the ends of the bobbin, the ends of the spindles comprising means forrotatably supporting the bobbinin the bracket members 38 to 46, each spindle having a driven member in the form of a friction wheel 36 secured thereto, the friction wheel being biased, by means of a pivoted arm 13 bearing on the driving end of the spindle 3'1 and coacting with a spring 16, towards a position of engagement with a constantly rotating drive member, such as the friction wheels 35 secured to the shafts 25, 33, and 34. One end of each spindle 3'! is removably mounted in any desired form of bearing, for example, a slot 1! in one of the bracket members 39, 46, Figs. 2 and 4, and the other end of each spindle, more clearly shown in Figs. 4 to 6, is mounted in a V-shaped bearing 18 in frame members 38, 39, one side of each bearing 78 comprising a vertically inclined plane surface 18a extending to the bottom of the bearing, the action of the tension arms 6"! to 69 causing all but one of the takeup reels of each group to ride upon the inclined surfaces 18a, in a manner hereinafter described, so that the friction wheels 36 of these spools are out of driving engagement with respect to the drive wheels 35. In Figs. 5 and 6 the take-up reel 31 is shown in a position of driving engagement with its driving member 35, at which time the yarn 3 individual to the take-up reel 3a is being unravelled from the fabric, the remaining two yarns la and 20 being each held at a selvedge edge h of the fabric blank F, the tension on the yarns i and 2, and the action of the tension arms 61 and 68 respectively associated therewith, causing the driving ends of the spindles 3'! of take-up reels 2a and 3a each to roll up the inclined plane 18a of its bearing to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, thus interrupting the driving connection between these reels and their associated driving members 35. It will be understood that the bearings TI in which the other ends of the spindles. 31 are mounted may beof any desired configuration as long as they have sufficient clearance to enable thev driving ends of the spindles to be shifted from their driving positions to the inclined planes 18a to prevent, at the proper times, rotation of the take-up reels.

Each biasing spring 16 is connected to the free end of the arm 13 which is pivoted at its other end to the bracket member 38. The arm 13 bears on the spindle 3'! and, in conjunction with the spring, urges the spindle downwardly along the inclined plane to a position where the wheel 36 carried by the spindle is in frictional driving engagement with the friction wheel 35. Stop pins 15 in the bracket member 38 are provided to limit the downward travel ofv arm 13 when the bobbins are removed from their bearings. The arm 73 may be lifted upwardly, against the tension of spring I6, to release the spindle 31 and the bobbin or reel carried thereby so that they may be lifted out of the spindle bearings to facilitate removal of the bobbin, when full of yarn, from the spindle and to permit an empty bobbin to be quickly and easily placed thereon. The amount of force exerted by the spring 16 should be adjustable and preferably there is provided, as shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8, an adjusting screw 80 rotatably mounted, at 8la in a lug or extension SI of frame member 38, the adjusting screw having a knurled head 82 for easy adjustment thereof, and carrying a travelling nut 83 to which the lower end of spring 16 is anchored, one side 83a of the. nut slidably engaging a plane surface 8Ib of lug 8| thereby to prevent rotation of the nut when the screw is turned. The pitch of the threads of the screw may be made as small as desired and thus afford a fine adjustment of the biasing tension applied to the spindle 31. For efficient operation, the amount of force exerted by the biasing spring will be found to have a fairly critical value; if too much tension is exerted the yarn being reclaimed will be unduly stretched, or possibly broken, before interruption of the driving connection between its take-up reel and the driving means; on the other hand, if insufiicient tension is afforded by the spring, the driving connection between the reel and driving means will not be reestablished as quickly as it should be, also, the desired positive driving connection between the reel and its driving means may not be established. As will be seen from Fig. '7 the spindle 31, which preferably is made of hard wood, may have springs 84 which are compressed in the manner shown when the core 85 of the bobbin or take-up reel is slid on the spindle, to thus firmly hold the bobbin on the spindle for rotation therewith, the springs permitting quick and easy removal of the bobbin from the spindle when the bobbin is full, and replacement of an empty bobbin thereon.

Each of the tension arms 61 to 69 is provided with a shoe or brake member 81 disposed adja cent the peripheries of the flanges 74 at one end of each of the bobbins la, 2a, 31, etc., these members acting to raise the bobbins out of driving engagement with the friction wheels 35, and also producing a braking action on the bobbins to prevent overrunning of the bobbins. The members 8'! also facilitate the reverse motion given to the bobbins (in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6) by the slight reverse movements of those lengths of the yarns between the guides 66 and the bobbins, which occur when the yarns are held and prevented from paying out, and which cause the driving ends of the spindles3l to roll or slide up on the inclined planes 18a to the position shown by the spindles of reels 2a and 3a in Figs. 5 and 6.

In order to prevent the thread guides 66 from dropping under the influence of the weights W and tension arms 61, 68, 69, in the event that any of the yarns I, 2, 3 should break, the tension arms are each formed from a piece of heavy gauge wire bent around a pivot pin .10 secured by a boss Ha on the bracket 1|. The bracket is provided with a plate member 88 extending substantially parallel to the body portion of the tension arms and adjacent their pivot points, the member 88 serving as a stop to limit the downward travel of the tension arms and suspending the latter in a substantially horizontal plane.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate one method of producing a flat knit stocking blank from three separate silk yarns I, 2, 3 which are alternated in predetermined order in successive courses of the fabric, for example, to eliminate coursewise extending rings or stripes in the stocking due to variation in evenness in the silk yarn employed. The three yarns are shown plain, hatched, and stippled, respectively, so that they may easily be identified in the various courses of the fabric; it will be understood that they may have the same color, Weight and other characteristics, as in the case of ringlesshosiery, or may comprise yarns of different color, weight or other characteristics, as in the case of striped or other ornamented stockings. Also, in the production of ringless stockings, the yarns, prior to knitting, may be tinted difierent colors with watercolor or other,

dyes which wash out or are not observable after the stocking is dyed, so that the various yarns may be identified in the fabric whereby the yarns more readily may be connected to the take-01f reels in a manner that will prevent or minimize interference between the yarns during the reclaiming operation. The respective courses of the fabric of Fig. 10 are shown in the order in which they are knit on the machine; course I being the last course produced, the remaining courses II to VI having been knit in inverse order to that in which the courses are numbered. In producing the fabric of Fig. 10, three main yarn carriers respectively feed separate yarns I, 2, 3 in succeeding courses of the fabric in such manner that no adjoining courses of the fabric are composed of the same yarn, the order in which the yarns appear being repeated in each three courses of the fabric. For clarity, the same reference numerals I, 2, 3 that identify the various yarns of which the fabric is composed are applied to the yarn carriers respectively feeding the yarns.

Fig. 11 diagrammatically illustrates the movements of the respective yarn carriers I, 2, and 3 in producing the fabric of Fig. 10. One of the yarn carriers, for example, No. 1, lays the yarn from left to right across the knitting section to produce one course of the fabric; in the next course No. 1 carrier is held at the right hand side of the fabric, while No. 2 carrier travels from right to left to lay the yarn for that course. In the next succeeding course, No. 3 carrier travels from left to right to lay the yarn for that course, Nos. 1 and 2 carriers waiting at the right and left hand sides, respectively, of the fabric. In the next three courses the carriers are again successively operated in the foregoing order, although the direction of travel of the carriers is reversed, No. 1 carrier travelling from right to left, No. 2 carrier travelling from left to right, and No. 3 carrier travelling from right to left. This cycle of operation of the yarn carriers is repeated throughout the succeeding courses, thus causing the three yarns to alternate in predetermined order in successive courses of the fabric. It is to be noted that the yarn of each course interlocks with and is held at the selvedge edges of the fabric by the other two yarns of adjoining courses.

As will be seen from Fig. 10, the yarn carriers are disposed one behind the other to prevent interference between them during the yarn feeding operation, and the carriers thus not only lay the yarn in predetermined order in the succeeding courses of the fabric, but, as indicated by the dotand-dash lines, the respective yarns are fed from the carriers in different planes established by their paths of travel in laying the yarns.

Fig. 12 diagrammatically illustrates the movements of the yarn carriers in producing another form of fabric in which three yarns are alternated in predetermined order throughout the fabric. One of the yarn carriers, for example, No. 1, lays the yarn from left to right in one course, and in the next succeeding course No. 1 carrier returns, travelling from right to left, thereby to lay two adjoining courses from yarn I; in the next two courses, carrier No. 2 travels from left to right, and returns from right to left, to lay the yarn for these courses; in the following two courses No. 3 carrier similarly travels from left to right in one course, and from right to left in the next course, to lay the yarn therefor; this cycle of operation of the carriers being repeated throughout the succeeding fabric courses.

Operation Referring to the operation of the machine of Figs. 1 to 8, when the yarn of the fabric course at the time being unravelled reaches a place in the fabric, for example, and by way of illustration only, at a selvedge edge in ringless stocking blanks where the yarn is held by the yarn of another course, the tension arm 61, B8 or 69 associated therewith, Figs. 5 and 6, is swung upwardly about its pivot point I since, as the yarn is wound on its take-up reel or spool Ia, 2a or 3:1 by rotation thereof, the yarn continues to rise, causing the brake shoe 81 of the tension arm to engage the periphery of the flange 14 adjacent thereto, and raise the driving end of the spindle out of its bearing, against the tension of the biasing spring I6. the driving connection between the driving wheel 35 and friction driven wheel 36, the slight retraction of the yarn at this time, and the action of the weight W, causing the spool to rotate in the opposite direction, or clockwise as viewed in Figs. and 6, and the driving end of the spindle is moved up the inclined plane 18a to the position shown by spools Ia and 2a in the figures, these spools being maintained in this position as long as their associated yarns I and 2 are held at the selvedge edges of the fabric. The tension maintained on the yarns at the time being held prevents the yarns from becoming loose on their spools, and also provides sufficient pull on the yarns to cause at the proper times their release at the selvedge edges where they are held. While yarns I and 2 are being held, yarn 3 is being unravelled and is free to pay out, and the friction wheel 36 of take-up reel 3a is in driving engagement with its driving wheel 35, the reel being rotated thereby in the direction shown by the arrow to take up and rewind the yarn 3.

When yarn 3 has been unravelled until it reaches a selvedge edge of the fabric where it is held by another yarn or yarns, one of the yarns, for example, yarn 2, will be released so that it is again free to pay out, and at this time the action of its biasing spring "I6 on the spindle of its take-up reel insures positive return of its friction drive wheel 36 into driving engagement with the wheel 35, and simultaneously therewith the yarn 3 will be raised by the action of the arm 69, thus raising the driving end of its take-up reel out of engagement with the driving member 35, the reel 3a then taking a position similar to that formerly occupied by reel 2, and will remain in this position until the yarn 3 is again released for paying out.

When yarn Z is unravelled until a selvedge edge of the fabric is reached where it is held by the yarn or yarns of other courses, the yarn will rise and lift the driving end of the spindle of its take-up reel out of engagement with its associated member 35, and simultaneously therewith another yarn, for example, yarn I, will be released, and its take-up reel will be returned to a position of driving engagement with its associated member 35 by the action of its biasing spring. This cycle of operation of the take-up reels is repeated as often as the series of yarns is interposed throughout the fabric, and in this manner the machine automatically and intermittently actuates the take-up devices to unravel the yarns in inverse order to that in which the yarns were laid in the successive courses of the fabric during the knitting thereof.

Preferably, and as shown, the yarns I, 2, and 3 will also be taken off in separate planes extending from the ravelling end of the fabric and coursewise of the fabric, which planes generally This interrupts 2a and 3a remaining inactive at this time.

correspond to the planes in'which the various yarns were laid during the knitting of the fabric. This is arranged by causing the yarn guides ;of the ravelling end takes place as the yarns are pulled off, which permits the yarns to pass each other, and therefore it is not essential that the yarn guides be disposed so as to take off the yarns in separate planes.

Figs. 13 to 18 illustrate the operation of the machine of Figs. 1 to 8 in unravelling and reclaiming the yarns of the fabric of Fig. 10, the

fabric courses in these figures corresponding to the courses in Fig. 10. In Fig. 13, it will be seen that course I, which is composed of yarn 3, is the next course to be unravelled (in. the

-direction of the arrow below the course), at which time the take-up reel 3a is in frictional driving engagement with its driving wheel 35, take-up reels la, and 2a being held out of driving engagement at this time. In Fig. 14, course II is the next course to be unravelled and at this time the take-up reel 2a is in engagement with its driving member 35, while take-up reels la and 3a are held out of driving engagement. After course II is unravelled, and as shown in Fig. 15, course, III, which is composed of yarn I, is unravelled, at which time take-up reel Ila is in engagement with its driving member 35, reels In Figs. 16, 1'7, and 18, the operations of Figs. 13 to 15 are repeated; course IV, composed of yarn ,3, being unravelled from right to left; course V, ;composed of yarn 2, being unravelled from left -to right;- and course VI, composed-of yarn I, be-

in unravelled from right to left.

Fig. 19 diagrammatically illustrates-the operation of the machine of Figs. 1 to 8 in unravelling and reclaiming the yarns of split-seam fabric in which an insert, shown in the figure as'composed of yarn 2, is connected to the adjoining body portions of the fabric, formed respectively from yarns i and 3, by split-seam connections 3,8. In the fabric illustrated the seams are of the well known open-split type extending over two wales of the fabric. As shown, the yarn I is held at the pointm by yarn 2 of the insert, at which time its associated take-up reel la is maintained out ;of driving engagement with its driving wheel-35.

Yarn I will be so held until yarn'Z of the insert .is.unravelled in course I until it reaches the point m where it will unlock yarn l, at which time take-up reel la will bereturned to driving engagement with wheel 35, and will unravel yarn I in courses'III and IV. Body yarn 3 is shown as held at point n by its inte'rengagement with yarn 2, and its take-up reel'3a, is held out of driving engagement; when yarn 2 has been unravelled until itreaches the point it, in course III it will release yarn 3, at which time take-up reel 3a will again be returned todriving engagement with its friction wheel 35, and will unravel yarn 3 in courses IV and V. In similar manner, if yarn 2 is held at either seam S, S by yarns l .and 3, take-up reel 2a will be caused to move out of driving engagement with its member 35 until the yarn I or .3, as the case may be, has been unravelled to a point in the fabric where yarn 2 will be released. It will be noted that the body yarns l and 3 are not held at the selvedge edges of the fabric, but are held at the split-seams S; S,

and that upon release of any of the yarns it will unravel for two courses before it is again held by another of the yarns at points corresponding to points m and n. The foregoing cycle is repeated throughout the remaining courses of the fabric until all the yarn has been reclaimed.

Fig. diagrammatically illustrates the operation of the machine of Figs. 1 to 8 in unravelling and reclaiming the yarns of reinforced or plated; 10

fabrics. As shown, the plating or reinforcing yarns l and 3 are held, by their engagement with body yarn 2, at the opposite selvedge edges of the fabric, at which time their respective take-up ment with members 35. When the body yarn 2 in courses I and II is unravelled until it reaches a point r in the fabric, yarn 3 will be released and its take-up reel 3a will return into driving engagereels la and 3a are held out of driving engage-3,15

ment with wheel 35. When yarn 2 has been un-ogO ravelled in course III until it reaches the points, yarn I will be released and its take-up reel la will return into driving engagement with its associated driving member. This cycle of operation remaining courses of the fabric.

In the diagrammatic views of Figs. 13 to 20, the ravelling ends of the fabrics are shownjin close proximity to the take-up reels; in practice, however, and as indicated in Figs. 1, 5,and 6, the; fabrics are supported a substantial distance above friction wheels 90 of the take-up reels remain,

at all times in contact with their driving members 9i, the'coacting driving surfaces of each pair of wheels 90 and 9| having a coefiicient of friction therebetweensuch that when the various yarns are held by another yarn or yarns in the slippage of the coacting surfaces of the driving and driven members suflicient to stop rotation of the take-up reels without breaking or unduly stretching the yarns, thus periodically interruptconnection being automatically reestablished when the yarns are released again to permit paying out or unravelling thereof. In this arrangement, the bearings 92in bracket 38a comprise of the take-up reels is repeated throughout the'525 manner hereinbefore described, there will be ing the winding of the take-up reels, the driving slots 92a in which the driving ends of the spindles 31a are held against lateral displacement, although, as in the modification illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, there is a slight clearance between the driving end of each spindle and the bottom of its bearing to insure that the driven wheel will bear on its associated driving member 9! in driving engagement therewith. In Fig. 9 the yarns l and 2 are assumed to be held and prevented from paying out by other yarns of the fabric strip F and yarn 3 is being unravelled, at which time take-up reel 3a is being rotated in the direction of the arrow by its coacting driving member 9|, while reels la. and 2a are held stationary by their yarns, the friction wheels 90 of these reels slipping on the surfacesof their coacting driving wheels 9|.

The coacting driving and driven wheels 90 and 9! may be made of various materials which will give the proper coefficient of friction therebetween to cause the same to operate in the manner stated; for example, thedriving wheels 9| may be made of iron with relatively smooth driving surfaces Sid and the coacting driven wheels 91 may be made of hard wood, leather, or other suitable material. The driven wheels may be weighted by embedding therein lead or other heavy substance to give sufficient weight thereto. The dimensions of the respective wheels are determined by the desired driving and slipping action and the relative sizes thereof will vary dependent upon the size and weight of the spools. The spools should be of a weight and size such that a positive driving connection will be obtained when there is little or no yarn on the spools, and which will permit the necessary slippage of each take-up reel when the reel has thereon any amount of yarn up to its capacity, so that the weight of the reel plus that of the yarn will not prevent the necessary slippage at the proper times between the driving and driven members.

The machine shown in Fig. 9 is adapted to unravel and reclaim the yarns from any of the multi-yarn fabrics hereinbefore referred to, and is applicable to the same fabrics from which the yarn may be reclaimed by the machine of Figs. 1 to 8.

The machine shown in each of the foregoing forms of the invention is particularly adapted for reclaiming the yarns from a multi-yarn fabric, but various features thereof are also well adapted for reclaiming yarn from fabrics composed of a single yarn, or from fabrics composed of two or more yarns laid together and from which the yarns may be unravelled in the manner of a single yarn fabric.

For brevity in the specification and claims, the expression multi-yarn knitted fabric in which recurrent courses of the fabric are knit from separate yarns recurrent therein is employed in a generic sense and defines any multi-yarn fabric in which the succeeding courses are respectively knit from separate yarns, or in which various courses have two or more yarns therein extending partially or entirely across the course, and also includes any fabric having therein a plurality of yarns certain of which are held and prevented from paying out at one or more places in the fabric by another yarn or yarns of the fabric.

Of course, the novel yarn reclaiming devices and the component parts thereof specifically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A machine for reclaiming yarn from a fabric knitted from at least three yams in recurring sequence; comprising at least three yarn take up reels provided one for each of said yarns for unravelling and rewinding the yarn, each reel having a rotatable driven member associated therewith for transmitting driving power thereto; a rotating drive member adapted to engage said driven member for rotating the reel in a direction to take off and rewind the yarn; and means controlled by the yarn for shifting the axis of one of said driving and driven members relative to the axis of the other of said members to interrupt the driving connection therebetween when the yarn is held and prevented from paying out, said means including an upwardly inclined surface along which the axis of the shifted member is moved by the yarn when the latter is held, for causing the shifted member to intermittently slide along and rest on said inclined surface and return along the surface to a position of driving engagement with the other member when the yarn is released again to permit paying out or unravelling thereof.

2. A machine for reclaiming yarn from a fabric knitted from at least three yarns in recurring sequence; comprising at least three yarn take-up reels provided one for each of said yarns for unravelling and rewinding the yarn, each reel having a spindle for rotatably mounting the same, a friction wheel on said spindle for transmitting driving power to the reel, a rotating drive member adapted to frictionally engage said wheel for rotating the reel in a direction to take off and rewind the yarn; and means, operative when the yarn is held and prevented from paying out, for shifting the axis of the friction wheel relative to the axis of the driving member to interrupt the drive connection therebetween, said means including an upwardly inclined surface along which an end of said spindle is moved by the action of the yarn when the latter is held, for causing the spindle automatically to slide along said inclined surface and return the friction wheel to a position of driving engagement when the yarn is released again to permit paying out or unravelling thereof.

3. In a machine, for reclaiming yarn from a fabric embodying a plurality of yarns interknitted into a loop formation such that in unraveling the fabric all the yarns except the one unraveling loops are each held from unraveling movement by certain fabric loops, a corresponding plurality of yarn take-up reels each provided with a bearing member, supports for the bearing members from which the corresponding yarn lifts the bearing member after unraveling a number of loops, a surface adjacent to each bearing support inclined upwardly therefrom at an angle to provide substantial support for the bearing when lifted and held by the yarn of the corresponding reel, and means for operating the reels as they are alternately released.

4. A yarn reeling device comprising driving means including a friction wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis, a driven means including a horizontal bobbin, a trunnion at each end of the bobbin, and a friction wheel at one end'of the bobbin for cooperation with the driving friction wheel, and bearing means including a journal for the trunnion at the other end of the bobbin providing for movement of the bobbin at an angle to its axis of rotation about an axis extending substantially through said first axis while retaining said other end of the bobbin substantially in driven position, and a journal for the trunnion at said one end of the bobbin having a bearing surface projecting angularly upwardly from the driven axial position of the bobbin providing substantial support for. the bobbin when its friction wheel is lifted off the driving friction wheel and partially supported by the yarn.

5. A yarn reeling device comprising driving means including a friction wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis, driven means including a horizontal bobbin, a trunnion at each end of the bobbin, and a friction wheel at one end of the bobbin for cooperation with the driving friction wheel, and bearing means including a journal for the trunnion at the other end of the bobbin providing for movement of the bobbin at an angle to its axis of rotation about an axis extending substantially through said first axis while retaining said other end of the bobbin substantially in driven position, a journal for the trunnion at said one end of the bobbin having a bearing surface projecting angularly upwardly from the driven axial position of the bobbin providing substantial support for the bobbin when its friction wheel is lifted off the driving friction wheel and partially supported by the yarn, and means for positively returning the bobbin to its driven position when its support by the yarn is removed. 5

GUSTAV GAS'IRICH. 

